Improvement in seeding-machines



UN TED STATES PATENT Fries.

enonen n. MARKHAM, or MEADS Mitts, Mioriidniv.

IMPROVEMENT 'IN SEEDING-IVIACHINESQI Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 26,690, dated Januarvil, 11560.

To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. MARKHAM, of Mead s Mills, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Seeding-Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of same.

tical section of the driving-wheel. Fig. at is a detached vertical section of the droppers seat.

Similar letters of reference in theseveral figures refer to corresponding parts.

This invention consists, first, in a particular. arrangement of parts whereby the driving wheel can be thrown out of gear instantaneously, and at the same time the machine is allowed to back without effect on or injury to the dropping mechanism.

It also consists in arrangingthe dropper s seat in front of the machine in such a manner that the same can be reversed so as to face either way, whereby the dropper is enabled to see the rows both ways and to drop at the desired moment.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to de scribe it.

The frame A of my machine is constructed of longitudinal timbers a, to which the crosstimbers b are fastened by means of screws 0, that work into slots 0, so that the width of the frame can be adjusted according to the width of the rows to be planted. The frame is supported by wheels B B, which are attached to separate axles, C G, and which are placed right behind the center of the hoppers D, so that the corn as it drops from the hoppers is pressed into the ground and covered up by the action of the wheels.

Placed loosely on the axle C of the wheel B is a sleeve, E, and attached to this sleeve are two cams, (Z, and a ratchetwheel, 0. The sleeve is confined on the axle between the wheel on one side and between a ring, f, on the other side, which latter is firmly driven on the end of the axle; and it (the sleeve) is prevented from turning in one direction by a pawl, 9, that is forced into the teeth of the ratchet-wheel e by means of alight spring, h. The pawl g is secured to the wheel B, and the Fig. 3 is a transverse verremains stationary. Behind the pawl g, and

teeth of the ratchet-wheelare so arranged that f when said wheel turns in the directionof the. arrow marked on it the sleeve is caused to rotate with the wheel; but if the wheel turns l in the opposite direction, thepawl slidesover the teet-hof the ratchet-wheelandthe sleeve 1 mortised into the side of thewheel, is'a small 1 dog, 1, and a pointed rod, 3', extends through 3 the hole in the center of the axle O, closejtol the dog i. By pushing: in said rod the dogzis j raised, and the pawl g-is thrown out of gear with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, andthe wheel 13 turns independent fromthesleeve Eg f1, The rod j is operated by a handle, lathatis forced into notches is on theinside of: the platform F, and which canbe reachedandop-Y; in t J erated by the foot from the. drivers seat G. The cams (I act on the fiat-pointed end of a vi-f brating lever, H, which is fulcrated in a pend- .1 i j ant, I, and the other end of .whichis pivoted to the seed-slide J. Eachof saidcamsgivesl one throw of corn as it strikes the lever H, 1 and by increasing the number of these CEMIISIY. the number of hills planted for each revoluj-Q tion of the wheels B;B" can be increased. If 1 it is desired, however, to plant in rows bothj ways, the lever H must be takenout, and thew seed-slide is now operated by the hand-level K from a seat, L, which I denominate the droppers seat, and which is arranged on 1, the front part of the platform F. This seatis provided with two bottoms, Ll, jand it ishinged I. to the platform by means of a rod,am, in snchl a mannerthat either one of the bottoms Z. orl can be brought in aihorizontah position, so that the dropper can-bemadeto faceeither .1 way. The rod m hasa sliding motion in two staples, or, allowing the seat to be brought ina convenient position for thedropper to operate the lever K. By this arrangement of the seat 1 W the dropper is enabled to see the rowsboth ways, and to drop the seed attheproper intervals. I f i l The seed from the hopper. is dischargedlinto; tubes M, the lower endof which; forms the hoes for the purpose of drawing the furrows 1 to receive the seed. These hoes aresuspended from bars 0, which serve to raise andlower the same, and they are hinged to forkedrodsj 1 N, that. are pivoted to the longitudinal tim bers wallowing said hoesto rise and fall'at i pleasure. Attached to the upper; part of said; i

hoes are the arms 19, which bend upward, extending between the forked ends of the rods N, and the vertical parts of these arms are furnished with holes 1", that serve to regulate the angle at which the hoes out into the ground.

This machine is equally applicable to plant in drills and in check-rows. It can be used in different sorts of ground, and the dropping mechanism is not injured if the machine is backed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 'is- 1. The arrangement of the sleeve E on the axle of the driving-wheel with the ratchet wheel 6 and cams d, or their equivalents, in

combination with thepawl 9, dog 6, and pointed rod j, or its equivalent, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

2. The arrangement of the reversible seat- L, with two bottoms, Z Z, substantially as described, in combination with the hand-lever K and seed-slide J whereby the dropper is enabled to face the rows in whatever direction the machine may run, and to adjust the seat to a convenient position for operating the lever.

GEORGE E. MARKHAM. 

